' c w 


Gonference  Missionary  Sermon 

PREACHED  AT 

Yonkers,  X.  Y.,  April  3rd,  1891. 


Rev.  ANDREW  LONGACRE,  D.D. 


PUBLISHED  BY  REQUEST  OF  THE  NEW  YORK 
CONFERENCE. 


Prioe,  *2.00  per  liiindreil. 


FOR  SALE  BY 

Sbl,f-Sdppobting  Missionary  Litebatuke  Department, 
150  Fifth  Avenue,  New  Yoke  City. 


Conference  ©Missionary  © 


Reif.  ANDREW  LONGACRE,  D.D. 


''NOW  CONCERNING  THE  COLLECTION." 

— I Cob.  XVI : 1. 

The  old  Avord  in  Ecclesiastes,  that  “ Money 
auswereth  all  things”  (Eccl.  x:  19),  was  never  more 
true  than  now.  There  were  never  so  many  things 
which  money  could  buy.  There  were  never  such 
powers,  such  facilities,  such  resources  at  its  com- 
mand. Money  itself  could  never  reach-  so  far,  nor 
go  so  SAviftly,  so  securely,  so  cheaply,  as  now.  De- 
posited in  a bank  in  New  York  to-day,  a man  can 
have  the  credit  and  use  of  it  to-morrow  in  London 
or  Calcutta  or  Hong  Kong. 

Never  before  was  this  power  of  money  in  the 
hands  of  a Christian  nation  as  it  is  in  ours,  whether 
we  regard  immense  accumulations  in  single  fortunes, 
or  the  moderate  competence  of  the  mass  of  the  people. 
In  a recent  article  in  our  own  Revieio  it  is  stated 
that  seventy  men  in  this  country  own  twenty-seven 


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CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


hundred  millions,  not  one  of  them  having  less  than 
twenty  millions;  and  while  in  Great  Britain  one- 
thirtieth  of  the  inhabitants  hold  two-thirds  of  the 
wealth,  in  this  country  one-half  as  many  hold  that 
amount.  We  have  men  in  private  life  who  could 
easily  rival  the  peacock  throne  of  the  Great  Mogul  at 
Delhi,  while  the  mass  of  the  people  are  able  to  give 
without  sacrifice  beyond  any  others  in  the  world. 

That  our  wealth  may  be  a curse,  we  have  plain 
warning  in  the  Word  of  God.  That  it  may  become 
a vast  power  for  evil,  socially  and  politically,  is 
alarmingly  enough  indicated  in  our  public  life.  But 
no  one  who  believes  in  God  can  doubt  that  He 
designs  it  for  good.  In  the  increased  power  of 
money,  and  in  the  gathering  of  it  in  Christian  hands, 
we  cannot  fail  to  see  the  movement  of  Divine  Provi- 
dence for  the  salvation  of  the  world. 

For,  with  this  increase,  there  has  come  also  the 
removal  of  those  hindrances  which  had  previously 
barred  the  progress  of  the  Gospel.  The  time  was 
when  no  money  could  open  the  doors  shut  against 
Christianity  by  heathen  fear  or  policy  or  fanaticism. 
Everywhere  now  those  doors  are  open.  There  have 
been  times,  and  not  long  ago,  when  there  was  more 
money  for  Chri.stian  missions  than  men.  Yoii  all 
know  that  of  late  years  there  has  been  an  uprising 
for  this  work  which  is  like  a new  crusade.  Men  and 


COXFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


5 


women — whole  families  offer  themselves  freely  to 
face  the  deadly  climate  of  Equatorial  Africa  at  the 
call  of  Bishop  Taylor,  who,  at  three-score  and  teu, 
goes  before  them  unharmed  by  “ the  pestilence  that 
walketh  in  darkness,  or  the  destruction  that  wasteth 
' at  noonday.”  Some  die  and  a few  grow  faint-heart- 
ed, but  others  press  forward  into  their  places. 

You  are  aware  that  thousands  of  college  students 
all  over  the  land,  our  best  and  brightest,  stand 
pledged  for  this  work  in  the  foreign  field.  At  first 
their  pledge  was: 

“ We  are  both  willing  and  desirous,  God  per- 
mittingf,  to  be  foreign  missionaries.” 

Then,  the  idea  having  got  abroad  that  their  zeal 
had  abated,  they  made  a new  and  individual  declara- 
tion: 

“ I will  go  as  a foreign  missionary  unless  God 
positively  prohibits.” 

At  last  accounts  six  thousand  young  men  and 
young  women  had  signed  that  declaration. 

The  one  thing  now  lacking  is  the  money,  and 
that  is  in  our  hands.  With  it  you  and  I can  send 
to  the  work  better  men  than  ourselves,  better  quali- 
fied, better  trained  and  more  richly  endowed. 

One  trembles  to  think  of  the  immense  power  for 
good  lodged  in  the  hands  of  individual  holders  of 
great  fortunes;  of  men  in  this  country  who  could 


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CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


carry  single-handed  with  their  own  incomes  more 
than  our  whole  Missionary  work  many  times  over. 
Think  of  one  person  able  to  look  at  such  a work, 
wdth  its  tens  of  thousands  of  conversions  in  a year, 
its  increase  of  churches,  of  schools,  its  hospitals  and 
orphanages,  and  its  slow  but  steady  revolutionizing 
of  whole  lands  for  Christ  and  Christian  ci^'ilization, 
and  know  that  his  single  gift  had  made  it  possible! 

We  cannot  wonder  at  the  devotion  of  one  banker’s 
daughter  who,  a few  months  ago,  gave  herself  and 
her  fortune  of  seven  millions  to  what  she  believed  to 
be  the  service  of  God  in  winning  souls.  If  such 
instances  must  be  rare,  think  how  small  a sacrifice 
among  the  members  of  our  own  Church  would  easily 
place  as  large  a sum  in  the  treasury  of  our  Mission- 
ary Society,  when  one  cent  a day  from  each  one  of 
us  would  give  more  than  eight  millions  a year! 

Impressed  l)y  such  considerations,  I have  felt 
that  I could  bring  to  this  service  no  more  important 
subject  than  “the  collection.” 

I.  The  most  striking  thing  about  this  text  is  the 
place  St.  Paul  gives  it  in  this  epistle. 

We  can  scarce  help  wondering  what  must  have 
been  the  feelings  of  the  Christians  at  Corinth  when 
this  epistle  from  their  father  in  the  Gospel  was  first 
read  in  their  hearing.  Coming  eagerly  together  to 
liear  it,  as  they  must  have  done  ujx)n  tidings  of  its 


CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


7 


arrival,  we  can  imagine  their  varying  emotions  as 
the  reading  went  on,  with  its  mingled  reproofs  and 
exhortations  and  answers  to  questions  they  had  sent 
him.  Think  of  hearing  for  the  first  time  that  great 
thirteenth  chapter  on  charity,  which  is  inileed  “The 
greatest  thing  in  the  world,”  since  it  underlies  all 
other  good  and  all  other  good  goes  with  it! 

Then  with  what  kindling  faith  they  must  have 
followed  the  triumphant  discussion  of  the  resurrec- 
tion, in  the  fifteenth  chapter!  Surely,  flowing  tears 
and  exultant  responses  must  have  followed  the  vic- 
torious outburst,  “ Thanks  be  to  God  which  givetli 
us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ”! 

Then  immediately,  without  pause  or  apology,  the 
Apostle  goes  on:  “ Now  concerning  the  collection.” 

There  is  no  hesitation,  no  timidity.  The  remark 
follows  as  simply  as  if  this  matter  were  of  all  things 
the  fittest  to  come  in  just  there. 

Can  we  suppose  that  any  of  those  early  Christians 
had  the  sort  of  fastidious  sensitiveness  we  find  some- 
times in  these  days?  Did  they  whisper  to  one 
another,  “What  a pity  to  begin  begging  close  upon 
such  a vision  of  heavenly  glory ! ” Did  they 
think  it  “ put  a damper  on  the  meeting  ”? 

St.  Paul  evidently  does  not  anticipate  any  such 
criticism.  He  has  no  fear  of  an  anti-climax,  or  of 
letting  his  hearers  down,  or  chilling  their  religious 


8 


CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


feeling.  He  moves  on  without  faltering  from  the 
very  gate  of  heaven  to  this  most  practical  necessity. 

We  must  believe  that  his  inspiration  was  right. 
If  we  see  an  incongruity,  it  is  we  that  are  at  fault 
The  blessed  Holy  Ghost  led  him  to  lay  this  great 
duty  upon  the  waiting  church  just  when  their  hearts 
Avere  most  lifted  heavenwards,  and  when  earthly  and 
selfish  tendencies  were  weakest. 

The  putting  of  this  appeal  here  is  as  if  he  had 
said  to  the  Church  for  all  time:  “ Go,  get  your  souls 
full  of  the  joy  of  your  heavenly  hope.  Look  up,  till 
you  can  see  the  distant  glory  of  the  pearly  gates. 
Think  how  the  victory  over  sin  and  death  was  won 
for  you  by  the  sacrifice  of  the  Son  of  God.  Then  ask 
yourselves,  ‘ What  is  my  part  in  the  collection  ’ ? ” 

It  is  a luminous  reminder  that  the  time  for  giA'ing 
and  for  sacrifice  hastens  to  an  end.  Very  soon  we 
shall  be  where  we  can  no  longer  help  to-  saA^e  souls. 
Then  we  shall  understand,  as  we  can  not  noAv,  the 
supreme  importance  of  these  opportunities;  then, 
when  in  our  heavenly  home,  we  may  regret  in  vain 
that  we  did  so  little  to  bring  others  to  share  it. 

That  St.  Paul  was  amply  justified  in  giAung  such 
prominence  to  this  matter  we  can  readily  perceive 
when  we  ourselves  try  to  estimate  its  importance. 

For  ihe  collection  is  the  only  practical  thing 
which  we  who  have  to  stay  at  home  can  do  for  the 


COSFERKSCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


9 


salvaliou  of  ihe  (jreaier  icorld.  It  is  the  oniy  tangi- 
ble evidence  of  our  interest  in  Missionary  work. 
It  is  the  only  manifestation  of  our  sympathy  with 
the  travail  of  Christ’s  soul.  It  is  the  one  material 
result  and  outcome  of  all  our  sermons  and  speeches 
and  meetings  and  prayers.  Doubtless  the  sermons 
and  speeches  may  have  a certain  rhetorical  value  as 
works  of  art,  models  of  eloquence,  worthy  to  be  pre- 
served for  the  admiration  and  instruction  of  future 
generations.  But  the  one  actual  fruit  and  fact  is 
‘‘the  collection.”  All  the  rest  is  only  a preparation 
for  this,  and  is  worth  simply  the  money  it  sooner  or 
later  brings  into  the  treasury. 

Besides,  ihe  collection  is  necessarily  the  absolute 
limit  of  our  work  in  the  field.  We  accomplish  only 
what  we  pay  for.  In  every  land  our  missionaries  go 
only  so  far  as  our  contributions  take  them.  Not  a 
child  is  taught  in  a village  school  in  India,  not  a con- 
vert baptized  in  the  mela,  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
money  we  send.  In  Egypt  not  a blade  of  grass  grows 
above  the  line  of  the  Nile’s  rise.  Human  skill  can 
dam  the  water  and  carry  it  further  and  pump  it 
higher,  but  it  is  powerless  beyond  the  line  it  reaches. 
So  in  all  heathendom  our  gifts  mark  the  fatal  line 
which  our  work  can  not  pass. 

I once  heard  Dr.  Peck  estimate  how  much  each 
convert  in  our  missions  cost.  The  sum  was  aston- 


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CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


ishingly  small.  Of  course  such  an  estimate  can 
never  be  precise.  But  Ave  must  recognize  the  plain 
fact  that,  God’s  blessing  being  promised,  every 
advance  in  giving  means  more  good  done,  and  every 
withholding  diminishes  the  number  of  souls  saved. 
It  is  an  awful  * calculation  to  weigh  our  dollars 
against  souls,  to  know  that  the  less  we  give  the 
fewer  will  be  won  for  Christ. 

You  may  remind  me  of  the  difference  in  results 
from  the  zeal  of  the  laborers.  You  and  I have 
nothing  to  do  with  that.  For  that  they  must  answer, 
not  we.  Our  dutv  is  the  ghung. 

We  recognize  fully  our  entire  dependence  upon 
the  Holy  Spirit,  ^vithout  whom  we  can  do  nothing. 
But  we  are  living  in  the  dispensation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  He  has  come;  He  has  never  withdrawn. 
His  cooperation  in  all  the  work  of  the  Gospel  is  one 
of  the  certainties  of  our  religion.  He  moves  with  us, 
opening  our  way,  and  crowming  every  advance,  every 
increase  of  actiHty  with  His  power. 

We  must  face  the  fact  that  in  the  measui'e  of 
our  giving  will  be  our  success.  Reverently  let  it 
be  recognized  that  God’s  blessing  for  the  heathen 
depends  upon  our  liberality.  He  waits  for  us.  The 
Holy  Spirit  waits.  The  whole  economy  of  salvation 
is  at  a standstill  until  our  giving  opens  the  last  door. 


CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


11 


I shall  not  ask  you  to  consitler  in  detail  the  high 
wisdom  of  the  directions  for  the  collection  St.  Paul 
gives  in  this  place.  Modern  study,  after  ages  of 
experiment,  teaches  no  better  method. 

“ Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  every  one  of 
you  lay  by  him  in  store  as  God  hath  prospered  him.” 
(v.  2.) 

Let  every  one  give,  and  each  according  io  his 
provideniial  ability;  let  the  gatherings  he  frequent, 
and  thus  in  small  amounts  at  a time.  When  the 
Church  shall  frankly  adopt  and  carry  out  this  system 
there  will  be  shown  a power  to  give  far  beyond  any- 
thing we  now  consider  practicable. 

II.  These  directions  are  brief  and  concise,  a 
model  instance  of  putting  much  in  few  words. 

There  are  no  doubt  many  excellent  people  who 
would  be  glad  to  make  them  the  pattern  in  this  re- 
spect for  all  financial  appeals  in  the  Church.  “ How 
delightful  it  would  be,”  say  they,  “ if  all  preachers 
would  only  follow  this  example  of  St.  Paul,  and  limit 
themselves  to  a condensed  statement  of  the  case,  and 
then  leave  it  with  the  people,  to  give  as  they  are 
disposed!” 

Very  agreeable  would  it  be  to  do  this  and 
nothing  more.  It  would  lighten  immensely  the 
burden  of  Christian  preachers,  had  St.  Paul’s 
example  ended  here.  But,  unhappily,  one  of  the 


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CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


things  I have  to  say  of  this  appeal  is  that  it  was  a 
failure.  It  did  not  accomplish  the  end  proposed. 

This  epistle  was  written  about  the  time  of  Easter, 
in  the  spring  of  the  year  fifty-seven.  In  the  autumn 
of  the  same  year,  that  is,  about  six  months  later,  St. 
Paul  was  inspired  to  write  the  second  epistle  to  the 
same  Church  at  Corinth.  In  this  second  epistle  he 
recurs  to  this  matter  of  the  collection,  but  this  time, 
instead  of  limiting  himself  to  two  or  three  verses,  he 
carries  his  appeal  through  two  entire  chapters,  the 
eighth  and  ninth;  and  his  handling  of  the  matter 
there  is  one  of  the  highest  examples  of  his  marvel- 
ous skill  in  dealing  with  men.  I heard  Dr.  Durbin 
once  say  that  it  seemed  to  him  not  irreverent  to  say 
that  in  tact  St.  Paul  even  surpassed  our  blessed 
Lord  himself.  If  such  an  assertion  may  stand,  this 
discourse  would  go  far  to  sustain  it. 

He  found  that  the  Greeks  of  that  busy  commer- 
cial city,  full  of  traffic  and  the  luxury  that  follows 
wealth,  were  not  so  ready  to  }>art  with  their 
drachmas  as  he  had  presumed.  He  might  have 
known  as  much,  we  can  not  help  thinking,  since  it  is 
on  record  that,  while  he  dwelt  there,  he  had  to 
support  himself  working  with  his  own  hands,  except 
when  the  Phillippians  once  and  again  sent  to  relieve 
his  necessities.  In  his  second  appeal,  therefore,  he 
evidently  addresses  himself  to  a difficult  task. 


CONFERESCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON.  13^ 

Though  fully  aware  of  the  failui-e  of  his  first  appeal, 
there  is  yet  no  touch  of  reproach  or  fault-finding. 
With  a noble  blending  of  dignity  and  authority  and 
paternal  tenderness  not  unmixed  with  graceful 
compliment  for  what  could  be  commended,  he  rises 
to  the  occasion.  Nowhere  else  does  he  display  so 
clearly  the  surpassing  flexibility  of  his  genius,  the 
power  of  “ becoming  all  things  to  all  men.”  He, 
who  could  “ speak  wisdom  among  the  perfect,”  here 
stoops  to  touch  every  vibi’ant  chord  in  natures 
dwarfed  and  selfish  and  worldly.  These  are  not  his 
generous  and  beloved  Macedonians  of  Philli[)pi,  some 
two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  away  to  the  north,  but 
a great  deal  further  off  than  that  in  grace.  Yet, 
these  harder  hearts  must  be  won,  and  taught  and 
drawn  up  toward  the  Christly  spirit.  So,  like  a 
father  as  he  was,  or  “ as  a nurse  cherishing  her 
young  children,”  he  made  his  plea. 

It  is,  of  course,  unnecessary  that  I should  recall 
the  familiar  language  of  these  famous  chapters,  yet 
it  will  be  wise  to  glance  at  the  substance  of  them. 
The  seventh  chapter  closes  with  this  hopeful  and 
cheerful  word  of  preparation:  “I  rejoice,  therefore, 

that  I have  confidence  in  you  in  all  things.”  Then 
he  tells  them  a little  story  of  the  surprising  gener- 
osity of  the  poor  Macedonian  Christians,  who  had 
pressed  him  with  much  entreaty  to  accept  their 


14  CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 

contributions,  which,  he  could  testify,  went  beyond 
their  ability.  He  commends  the  Corinthians  for  a 
number  of  good  things,  for  their  faith  and  utterance 
and  knowledge  and  diligence,  and  for  their  love  to 
himself,  and  then  begs  them  to  add  this  completing 
grace:  pointing  them  to  the  great  pattern  of  self- 
sacrifice,  Cln’ist,  “who,  thoiigh  he  was  rich,  yet  for 
our  sakes  became  poor,  that  we  through  His 
poverty  might  be  made  rich.”  Their  previous 
reluctance  he  characterizes  merely  as  delay,  and 
holds  up  to  them  the  law  of  all  giving  “ according 
to  that  a man  hath,  and  not  according  to  that  he  hath 
not.” 

As  if  replying  to  an  objection,  he  disclaims  the 
intention  of  burdening  them  that  others  should  be 
eased,  as  he  meant  only  to  bring  about  an  equalizing 
of  burdens.  He  shows  how  carefully  he  has  ar- 
ranged for  the  conveyance  of  the  money  by  other 
hands  than  his  own,  so  as  to  avoid  the  least  suspi- 
cion-of  his  motives. 

He  stoops  lower — touching  their  self-esteem,  re- 
minding them  that  he  had  before  boasted  of  their 

O 

good  intentions,  and  had  thus  stirred  up  others  to 
give;  and  now  he  presses  them  to  be  prompt  with 
this  delicate  thrust:  “Lest  haply  if  they  of  Mace- 

donia come  with  me  and  find  you  unprepared”  (he 
does  not  intimate  that  they  are  unwilling),  “ 


we- 


CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


15 


(that  we  say  not,  ye)  should  be  ashamed  in  this  same 
contident  boasting.”  (ix:4. ) Then  he  rises  to  the 
strongest  part  of  his  plea,  an  admonition,  with  a tone 
of  solemn  warning  in  it  against  “ sowing  sparingly,” 
and  urges  them  to  a cheerful  and  loving  liberality  as 
the  only  sort  of  giving  which  God  will  accept.  He 
assures  them  that  they  wdll  not  be  losei’s  by  it,  for 
God  will  take  care  of  them;  and  he  shows  how  their 
example  will  stimulate  others,  and  bring  glory  to 
God  as  an  eridence  of  their  faithfulness,  and  awaken 
the  gratitude  of  those  they  have  helped. 

All  through  this  special  discourse,  from  point  to 
point,  it  is  a masterpiece  of  solicitation,  strong, 
dignified,  religious,  appealing  to  the  highest  motives, 
and  yet  showing  a wise  and  compassionate  appre- 
ciation of  imperfect  grace  and  the  weakness  of 
human  nature. 

III.  In  this  place  and  presence,  appointed  to 
preach  a Missionary  sermon  before  the  Conference, 
it  seems  incumbent  upon  me  to  make  some  attempt  to 
apply  this  example  of  St.  Paul  to  us,  who  as  min- 
isters of  Christ  sustain  the  same  relation  to  our 
churches  that  he  did  to  the  Church  at  Corinth, 

Upon  us  as  truly  as  upon  him,  falls  the  neces- 
sity of  leading  Christian  people  up  to  their  privilege 
of  giving  of  their  substance  for  Christ’s  work  in  the 
world.  TTe  are  as  ti’uly  called  to  this  service  as  to 


16 


CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


save  sinners  or  to  edify  the  Church.  lYe  must  set 
this  duty  so  plainly  before  men,  that  they  shall  no 
more  fail  in  it  than  in  keeping  any  other  of  the  com- 
rnands  of  Christ.  It  is  a vital  and  momentous  part 
of  that  Gospel  teaching  with  which  we  are  “ to  feed 
the  Church  of  God  which  He  hath  purchased  with 
His  own  blood.” 

And  the  duty  is  the  more  urgent,  since  for  the 
large  majority  of  us  there  can  be  neither  substitute 
nor  helper  in  it.  A few  of  us  can  occasionally 
secure  the  assistance  of  some  eminent  preacher  to 
present  the  claims  of  Missions  to  our  congregations ; 
but  for  the  greater  niimber  no  voice  but  ours  will  be 
heard  in  instruction  or  pleading.  The  measures  we 
propose,  are  those  only  which  Avill  be  adopted.  The 
appeal  we  make,  and  the  influence  we  exert,  and  the 
example  Ave  set,  will  decide  the  action  of  our  people. 
If  we  fail,  they  will.  Looking  at  St.  Paul’s  great 
example,  we  dare  not  content  ourselves  with  simply 
telling  men  to  give,  and  then  leaving  them  to  give 
or  not,  as  they  please. 

We  have  not,  indeed,  the  authority  or  inspiration 
of  an  apostle,  nor  St.  Paul’s  marvellous  tact,  but  in 
our  lower  place  and  feebler  measure  Ave  must  folloAv 
his  steps.  We  are  to  feel  for  our  brethren  in  their 
human  Aveakness  and  their  little  grace.  KnoAving 
the  fight  they  must  Avage  against  selfishness  and 


COSFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


17 


worklliuess  and  covetousness,  we  must  use  our  best 
and  last  resources.  For  their  own  souls  we  can 
brintr  tliem  no  other  message  that  has  more  to  do 
mth  their  salvation  here  and  their  reward  hereafter. 

AVe  may  not  always  succeed,  but  we  shall  often 
do  better  than  we  hope.  The  obdurate  rich  man 
may  still  refuse  to  give  liberally,  but  some  lad 
earning  his  first  wages  may  be  touched  by  the  word 
not  aimed  at  him,  and  started  in  a course  (of  which, 
thank  God!  we  have  many  instances  among  us)  of 
whole-souled  gmng  from  youth  to  age — to  death. 
There  are  names  which  the  whole  Church  honors  as 
synouomous  with  princely — no,  with  saintly  liberality. 
AA’hose  word  first  won  them?  Who  opened  to  them 
the  path  of  cheerful  self-sacrifice?  It  was  some 
humble  and  earnest  minister  of  Christ,  who  never 
dreamed  what  he  was  doing,  and  who,  perhaps,  went 

m 

home  to  weep  with  a discouraged  heart,  because  the 
men  he  tried  to  win  remained  untouched. 

There  is  no  other  service  in  which  we  so  truly 
stand  like  Aaron  when,  with  burning  censer,  he  ran 
out  to  stay  the  plague  “ between  the  living  and  the 
dead.”  AVe  stand  between  the  living  Church  at 
home  and  its  wealth,  and  the  perishing  millions 
of  the  heathen  world.  We  are  the  only  link — the 
only  one  living  intermediary  to  bring  the  resources 
of  the  one  to  the  rescue  of  the  other.  On  nO’ 


18 


CONFERENCE  MISSIONARY  SERMON. 


day  of  the  year  does  a weightier  responsibility  rest 
upon  us  than  the  day  w'e  ask  for  the  Missionary 
collection.  At  other  times  we  address  those  we  see 
before  us  for  themselves.  That  day,  besides  the 
visible  congregation,  a vast  unseen  multitude  of 
souls  hangs  on  the  power  of  our  word.  Could  we 
see  them — if,  by  some  miracle  of  enlightenment  the 
veils  of  distance  could  be  swept  away,  and  our  sight 
should  take  in  the  awful  vistas  of  heathen  wretch- 
edness, those  “ dark  places  of  the  earth  that  are  full 
of  the  habitations  of  cruelty;”  lands  reeking  with 
unutterable  corruptions,  enveloping  the  innocent 
souls  of  children  that  are  as  truly  lambs  of  God’s 
fold  as  your  children  or  mine,  and  as  dear  to  Him — 
could  we  fathom  the  anguish  of  races  and  continents 
and  generations,  in  long  succession,  without  God 
and  without  hope,  surely  our  hearts  would  rather 
break  than  fail  to  plead  with  our  utmost  power. 

I went  once  to  hear  a famous  la^^yer  plead  in 
defense  of  a man  on  trial  for  murder.  The  lawyer 
was  David  Paul  Brown,  of  Philadelphia,  then  in  the 
height  of  his  fame.  He  had  been  for  more  than 
forty  years  active  in  the  courts;  so  long  that  I re- 
member he  spoke  to  the  judge  presiding,  of  a case  in 
which  he  had  pleaded  “ before  your  honor  was  born.” 
The  case  in  court  was  like  many  a one  he  had  had 
before.  Yet  I observed  that  when  this  practiced 


COXFERESCK  MISSIOWARY  SER.VOS\ 


19 


pleader  came  into  court  he  was  greatly  agitated. 
He  seemed  to  see  no  one.  He  tossed  his  papers  to 
and  fro.  AVhen  he  arose  to  speak  his  voice  trembled 
and  his  hands  shook.  Everything  about  him  be- 
trayed the  intensity  of  his  feelings. 

In  the  same  case  I listened  to  the  maiden  speech 
of  his  junior  counsel,  a man  who  has  since  risen  to 
the  top  of  his  profession,  and  is  doav  one  of  its  most 
brilliant  and  accomplished  orators.  As  was  to  bo 
expected  on  such  an  occasion,  the  younger  man  gave 
every  OA-idence  of  intense  solicitude  for  his  client, 
and  pleaded  for  him  as  if  he  had  been  a near  and 
dear  fi’iend.  These  men  did  honor  to  their  pro- 
fession. They  did  their  best  to  save  one  man  from 
the  gallows. 

My  brethren:  When  we  stand  to  plead  with  our 

people  for  that  vast  unseen  congregation  of  perish- 
ing millions ; Avhen  we  ask  for  the  means  by  which 
alone  they  can  be  rescued  from  death,  we  are  plead- 
ing for  souls. 


Self-Supporting  Literature  Department 

OF  THE 

MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 

OF  THE 

^etl;obist  Gfiscopal  C*?wt’cI7. 


We  request  all  our  Presiding  Elders,  Pas- 
tors and  Sabbath  School  Superintendents  to 
aid  us  in  selling  our  Missionary  Literature. 

This  sermon  is  a specimen  of  the  publica- 
tions of  this  Department. 

Do  not  give  away  Literature.  Get  the 
people  to  buy  it.  A sermon  like  this,  if  given 
away,  may  not  be  read.  If  paid  for,  it  WILL 
be  read;  and  if  read  by  a non-giver,  it  will 
surely  convert  a soul  to  Missions  and  add  a 
life-long  contributor  to  the  army  who  are 
obedient  to  the  voice  of  Jesus  Christ  the 
Captain  of  our  salvation. 


